Hormones produced by endocrine organs including adipose tissue and inflammatory cytokines produced by immune cells and adipocytes play a major role in regulating energy balance and glucose metabolism. Tissue lipid and intracellular lipid-defived metabolites also modulate metabolic signaling pathways and affect insulin resistance. To understand the underlying basis of metabolic phenotypes of transgenic mice with altered metabolism, the Analytical Core measures serum and tissue factors known to affect energy balance and glucose homeostasis. The goal ofthe Analytical Core is to provide standardized and high-throughput analytical measurements using state-of-the-art instruments in serum and tissue samples obtained from transgenic mice. The Core operates under the supen/ision of Dr. David Harlan as the Core Director and Drs. Randall Friedline, Klaus Pechhold, and Scott Shaffer as co-Directors. The Analytical Core provides the following services: 1) High-throughput and multiplexed measurement of serum/tissue/cell culture levels of hormones, cytokines, and chemokines using Luminex and Meso Scale Discovery multiplexing technology, 2) High-throughput measurement of blood/tissue/urine levels of metabolites and electrolytes using a Cobas Clinical Chemistry Analyzer, 3) Molecular analysis of intracellular signaling pathways associated with insulin action, glucose metabolism, and inflammation, 4) Measurement of intracellular levels of lipids and lipid-derived metabolites using triple quadrupole mass spectrometry, and 5) Assessment of islet histology and gene transcriptional analysis of pancreatic islet cell subsets. The Analytical Core performs quality and reproducible measurements to support the Metabolism and Cardiovascular Complications Core for comprehensive phenotyping of transgenic mice.